Jamaica honours 61 outstanding fathers amid deportation transit and MSME procurement plans

Sixty-one fathers and father figures from across Jamaica were recognised for their contributions to family and community life at the eighth Outstanding Fathers Award ceremony, held over the weekend at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston.

The Bureau of Gender Affairs organised the event under the theme “Built on Strength and Sacrifice: Honoring Resilience and Commitment.” In a message read by Permanent Secretary Dean Roy Bernard, Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Minister Olivia Grange said the 2026 theme highlights sacrifices fathers make, often without public recognition. She stressed that fatherhood extends beyond financial support to include emotional presence, guidance, encouragement, discipline, protection and love.

Psychologist Dr. Samaja said many fathers value love, affirmation and quality time over gifts such as ties and cologne. He noted that men often carry emotional pressures quietly and may lack the verbal skills to express feelings, especially after past vulnerability was used against them. He urged Jamaicans to use Father’s Day to mend strained or unresolved relationships.

Attorney-at-law Derek Moncrieffe said Jamaica will serve as a transit point—not a final destination—for third-country nationals being deported from the United States under a memorandum of understanding. He said the government has constitutional authority over foreign affairs without needing new legislation, but must protect deportees’ dignity and avoid complicity in unlawful removal. Under the principle of non-refoulement, persons fearing persecution may seek asylum, with applications handled through PICA. No fixed transit duration has been announced, though discussion referenced reports of about one hundred persons per month.

Golden Designs has launched a Senior Entrepreneurship Programme for adults aged sixty and over, backed by the Digital Foundation. Founder Shelly-Ann Thompson said the islandwide training targets two hundred seniors across St. Thomas, Manchester, St. James, Kingston and St. Andrew, offering craftsmanship skills, business management support and one year of coaching.

The Public Procurement Commission will launch its MSME Procurement Integration Project on 3 July at IBEROSTAR Montego Bay, with pre-registration closing on 26 June at [email protected]. Executive Director Nadia Morris said the twelve-month initiative supports a twenty-percent set-aside for micro, small and medium enterprises in public contracts, with a follow-up session planned for September in Kingston and St. Andrew.

At Edna Manley College, graphic design student Kyle Palmer presented “Forgotten Faces,” a social-awareness campaign aimed at humanising homelessness and challenging stigma. London-based recording artist Trimmer, born Kenyatta Johnson of Clarendon, discussed his single “Past Life” and a planned November EP.

In FIFA World Cup action, Japan earned a 4-0 victory over Tunisia, Brazil defeated Haiti 3-0, and Spain beat Saudi Arabia 4-0.